Cheika says he has has faith in O'Connor

August 8, 2019. Wallabies coach Michael Cheika speaks to reporters in Perth ahead of his side's Bledisloe Cup clash with the All Blacks. Cheika says he's been impressed by James O'Connor and is excited to see what he can deliver. O'Connor has been selected to play outside centre for the game against New Zealand in his first start for the Wallabies in six years. &quot;I think James will bring something a little bit different that we haven't seen, so definitely our opponents won't have seen it either,&quot; Cheika says. &quot;There will be certain set piece requirements that he'll need to fill there and then after that it's just be there and play footy, and that's what he's good at, he's good at playing footy.&quot; (AAP Video/Melissa Woods)

Drew Mitchell believes James O’Connor could be the key to Bledisloe success.Source:AAP

The selection of returned Wallabies centre James O’Connor could be the key to ending Australia’s Bledisloe pain, according to Drew Mitchell.

O’Connor debuted for the Wallabies as an 18-year-old in 2008 and is set to end a six-year exile from the Wallabies starting side by slotting in at outside centre.

The 29-year-old returned for the first time against Argentina recently but had just 12 minutes in the grinding match.

O’Connor went from Wallabies golden boy to bad boy in a few short years.

In 2013, he had his ARU contract torn up after being prevented from boarding a flight from Perth to Bali for being drunk.

His chequered past also includes being arrested and fined in Paris during a cocaine bust while playing for Toulon, before a move to England’s Sale Sharks and then the Queensland Reds last month.

“I’ve been on a journey … to understanding my true self and how I’m meant to use my privileged position in rugby,” he said recently.

“I see now that rugby is a gift and I want my journey back to inspire possibly other young men out there who may be a little lost in the world right now.”

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said he had faith in the versatile O’Connor to deliver at the Bledisloe Cup match in Perth on Saturday night.

“I think James will bring something a little bit different that we haven’t seen, so definitely our opponents won’t have seen it either,” he said.

Intriguingly, it will be the first time in his 45-Test career for the Wallabies that O’Connor will play at outside centre.

James O’Connor is back in green and gold.Source:Getty Images

Fox Sports commentator Mitchell, who played 71 games for the Wallabies during his international career, said the set up presented an intriguing proposition for the All Blacks.

“I think it’s exciting and I’m looking forward to seeing how he performs,” Mitchell said. “Getting to start this weekend, I’m excited to see him play — especially at 13. The guy came in at 17 and he has tremendous speed and footwork and a little bit of something you can’t quite coach. He’s capable of doing things you don’t see from other players.

“I’m also looking forward to effectively having four ball players out on the field with Nic White, (Christian Lealiifano), Kurtley Beale and James O’Connor. These guys are able to create plays around them and if they can find a way that works for them, I think it will be really tight.

“I think we’ve got into a habit over the past decade of trying to work out how to defend the All Blacks rather than flipping that and picking a team that they’re going to have to defend. I think this weekend is one that’s going to put the New Zealand team under pressure defensively and they’re going to have to make decisions and it’s up to those four ball players to make the right choices.”

Mitchell believes the Wallabies can win back the Bledisloe and end 17 years of misery.

Could this be the year Australia end the All Blacks stranglehold?Source:Getty Images

With the 2019 series being reduced to two matches, the Wallabies need to win both games.

Mitchell, who played between 2005 and 2016, wasn’t able to win the Bledisloe during his tenure but said the current crop has what it takes — and it could set up a deep charge in the World Cup.

“A lot of people talk about that in tournament type rugby you need momentum and you need confidence,” he said. “It’s not to say that our World Cup is over if we don’t go out and beat the All Blacks in the next couple of weeks but I think on the other side, if we do go out there and get a win in this game, the second game or in both, it would help a huge amount for these guys, not just to know they can beat them but to believe in what they’re doing and their preparations going into the World Cup.”

Australia is also trying to give players a final shot at making the side for the World Cup with Christian Lealiifano rewarded for his strong match against Argentina with a second shot against New Zealand.

This is the first Wallabies-All Blacks game in Perth.Source:AAP

Mitchell said Lealiifano was in a battle with Bernard Foley for the main fly half spot and a place on the plane to Japan.

With the likes of Matt Toomua and Kurtley Beale able to play multiple positions including fly half, Mitchell believes Cheika can’t take both.

“It will come down to this game if he (Lealiifano) gets the spot on the plane to Tokyo,” he said. “In terms of the battle with Bernard, I think there’s an element of Cheik knowing what he’ll get from Bernard, he’s been the go-to man for a few years and he knows what type of performance he’ll get, whereas he’s still in a position where he wants to be further assumed with another strong performance from Christian.”